December 24, 2024.  2024 was another busy year for us, and we remain committed to the On The War Memorial Trail research project.  As of today, since this project began, Pieter has been able to cross 312 photo search requests from the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands off of their photo search lists.  In addition, he has found photos for an additional 101 soldiers, with some WWII soldiers buried in Belgium, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, airmen buried in municipal cemeteries, several soldiers from WWI, and soldiers from Prince Edward Island that survived WWI or WWII. I have written stories for many of these soldiers, with many more stories still to come.

While a few long-standing searches for photos were successful, allowing Pieter to complete his files for those soldiers, many files still remain open.  In most cases, family members were found, but no photo was available for one reason or another. 

The files in which Pieter has had zero luck in finding photos have been placed on the Cold Case Files page on the On The War Memorial Trail website.  We started this page last year and have been lucky to have a few names were cleared off of the list. Perhaps 2025 will see more names taken off of this list!  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/)

New research files were added, and Pieter was able to finish his research for many files from 2023.  As always, there is a lag between him completing his work and me documenting his research, but that is on my very optimistic ‘to do’ list for this winter.

Pieter’s new project, to upload photos to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website, which began in the fall of 2023, was continued into 2024.  He advises that he plans to continue this project into 2025.

This year, we were able to meet several families, which we very much appreciated – this year in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.  We are grateful that so many families have come forward to share photos and information, and are thankful for help from the media in helping to find photos.  What follows in the rest of this posting is a summary of what happened in 2024 with this research project.

…Pieter awarded the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation….

On August 19, 2024, Pieter was presented with the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation from The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs, in a ceremony held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Commendation had been awarded on January 24, 2024, with the presentation ceremony held in August. (See https://veterans.gc.ca/en/about-vac/who-we-are/department-officials/minister-veterans-affairs/minister-veterans-affairs-commendation/valkenburg-pieter-anthonie and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/08/25/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-awarded-the-minister-of-veterans-affairs-commendation/)

 …Presentation for 75^th NATO Anniversary Commemoration At Seacow Head Lighthouse….

On July 10, 2024, Pieter was one of the guest speakers at the 75^th NATO Anniversary Commemoration at Seacow Head Lighthouse in Fernwood, Prince Edward Island. Pieter briefly spoke about his deployment at a NATO Nike Missile Base in Rheine, Germany during the Cold War. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/07/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail75th-nato-anniversary-commemoration-at-seacow-head-lighthouse/)

Among the NATO representatives were John Yeo, Atlantic Regional Director for NATO Veterans of Canada; guest speaker Pieter Valkenburg, Public Relations Officer for Borden-Carleton Legion; and keynote speaker Clare Hutchinson, former NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace, and Security.

…Presentation At The 105^th Annual  Remembrance Service At The Cornwall Cenotaph….

On September 22, 2024, Pieter was the keynote speaker at the 105^th Annual Remembrance Service at the Cornwall Cenotaph in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island.  Pieter briefly spoke about why he researches Canadian soldiers, gave a brief description of how the 4 names listed on the WWII Cenotaph lost their lives, and mentioned the importance of preserving photos and the individual stories of those who served.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/09/26/on-the-war-memorial-trail105th-annual-remembrance-service-at-cornwall-cenotaph/)

…. Uploading photos to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website ……

Pieter began a new project last fall, to upload photos to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website, and earmarked this as his winter 2024 project.  For more information on this excellent resource, see https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/

Pieter did a test run last fall, uploading photos of three WWII soldiers. This year, he uploaded photos of:

• 20 WWI soldiers
• 195 WWII soldiers and airmen

This resulted in a total contribution of 218 soldiers.

 … WWI Related Stories….

• We prepared a 5 part-series based on letters written by WWI soldier Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL from Prince Edward Island, who returned home with a war bride, Evelyn Martha Williams.

 … WWII Related Stories….

• We shared a story about the 2023 candle lighting at graves of Canadian soldiers in The Netherlands.
• We provided an update to the 2021 story about WWII soldier Percy ‘Dexter’ HIGGINS, from Nova Scotia, who lost his life in The Netherlands on April 4, 1945, during the Battle of Warnsveld, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. On April 4, 2024, Higginsstraat was named in his honour near where he lost his life.

…Indigenous Soldiers….

We were able to tell the story of the service by one WWII Indigenous soldier:

• WWII Indigenous soldier James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS from Manitoba, who died in Germany on May 2, 1945, a few days after being liberated from the Stalag VII-A POW Camp in Moosburg, Germany.

…. Stories About Servicemen From The Maritimes…

We also featured stories about servicemen from The Maritimes:

• WWII soldier Harold ‘Hal’ Gabriel BULGER from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during the Battle of Moerbrugge in Belgium on September 10, 1944.
• WWII soldier Lawrence William BULGER from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during the Battle of Bienen in Germany on March 25, 1945.
• WWII soldier John ‘Weston’ CAMPBELL from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during Operation Veritable in Germany on February 14, 1945.
• WWII soldier Donald Roy CARTER from New Brunswick, who was killed in action during the Attack on the Goch-Calcar Road in Germany on February 20, 1945.
• WWII soldier Edward ‘Ed’ Dalton CHISHOLM from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during the Battle for the North Shore of the Scheldt in Belgium on October 20, 1944.
• WWII soldier Francis ‘Frank’ Ivan DOUGAN from Prince Edward Island, who was killed in a road accident in The Netherlands on May 16, 1946.
• WWII soldier François ‘Frank’ GALLANT from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during the Liberation of Posterenk in The Netherlands on April 13, 1945.
• WWII soldier François ‘Frank’ GUIMOND from New Brunswick, who was killed in action during the Attack on Weener in Germany on April 24, 1945.
• WWII soldier Edgar M. GUITARD from New Brunswick, who was killed by German mortar fire in The Netherlands on January 15, 1945.
• WWII soldier Maurice James HUGHES from Prince Edward Island, who was killed when the jeep he was riding in hit a mine in Germany on May 2, 1945.
• WWII soldier Ange Aimé LECLAIR from New Brunswick, who was killed by artillery fire in Germany during the Battle of Hochwald Gap on March 2, 1945.
• WWII soldier Joseph Taylor MACLEOD from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during the Battle of Groningen on April 13, 1945.
• WWII soldier Stanley Leigh MCBEATH from New Brunswick, who was killed in action in Germany on April 21, 1945.
• WWII soldier Sydney Guy MOSHER from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during the Attack on Weener in Germany on April 24, 1945.
• WWII soldier Edward Gabriel PERRY from Prince Edward Island, who lost his life after being fatally wounded during the Battle of Hochwald Gap in Germany on March 2, 1945.
• WWII soldier Lawrence Arthur RUDOLPH from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during Operation Blockbuster in Germany on February 27, 1945.
• WWII soldier Ronald ‘Ronnie’ Eugene SMITH from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during Operation Cannonshot in The Netherlands on April 14, 1945.
• WWII soldier Ralph Kenneth SILLIKER from Prince Edward Island, who was killed in action during Operation Churchill in Germany on March 2, 1945.
• WWII soldier William Ernest STONE from Prince Edward Island, who was killed in action during the Attack On Hoogerheide in The Netherlands on October 10, 1944.

…. Stories About Servicemen From Outside The Maritimes…

• WWII soldier Thomas ‘Tom’ Alfred BROWN from Alberta, who was killed in action during the Battle of Moyland Wood in Germany on February 17, 1945.

…In Conversation And More….

• In an 80th Anniversary of D-Day blog, we shared some anecdotes about the Normandy landings and highlighted previously told stories of 11 servicemen who were present in Normandy on June 6, 1944. All survived D-Day, but only 1 survived WWII and returned home.
• We wrote about the 80^th Anniversary of D-Day wreath laying ceremony that we attended by the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion on June 6, 2024.
• We wrote about the 75^th NATO Anniversary Commemoration at Seacow Head Lighthouse in Fernwood, Prince Edward Island on June 10, 2024. Pieter was one of the guest speakers at this event.
• We wrote about meeting WWII veteran Lois Maud BROWN of Kensington, Prince Edward Island, after being asked by Scott Masters, a history teacher at Crestwood Preparatory College in Toronto, Ontario, for help in finding WWII veterans to interview for the Crestwood Oral History Project.
• We wrote about the 105^th Annual Remembrance Service at the Cornwall Cenotaph in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island on September 22, 2024. Pieter was the keynote speaker at this event.
• We reported on how volunteers (including Pieter) at the Borden-Carleton Legion in Prince Edward Island honour deceased veterans by placing flags at the graves and monuments in the area served by the Legion.
• As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we shared updates on previous stories of WWII airmen who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and about our visit to the Air Force Heritage Park in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
• As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we shared updates on previous stories of WWII soldiers, a visit with families of two airmen from Halifax DT630, a visit to the Sagkeeng War Memorial in Manitoba, and we featured a unique Remembrance Plaque project in Sarnia, Ontario.
• As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we wrote about the visits that members of the Borden-Carleton Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion made to three schools on Prince Edward Island for Remembrance Services.
• As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we wrote about the Remembrance Day ceremonies we attended at the South Shore Villa in Crapaud and at the Legion in Borden-Carleton, two Prince Edward Island communities.
• As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we wrote about our visit to six Acadian memorials in New Brunswick.

…. Interviews To Highlight Search For Photos….

Pieter did the following interviews:

• Kevin Rollason of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote about Pieter’s search for a photo of WWII soldier William James ‘Jimmy’ Sutherland HOLE, born in Carman, Manitoba, who died during in The Netherlands on April 22, 1945, and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. The article, ‘A Name Without A Face’, ran online on Friday, November 8, 2024 and in the print edition on Saturday, November 9, 2024.  See https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/08/a-name-without-a-face-2 Up to now, this search is unsuccessful.
• Charlotte MacAulay of the Eastern Graphic wrote about the successful photo search for WWII soldier Kevin Joseph DELORIE, who is buried in the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy. The article, ‘Remembering Kevin Delorie’, ran in the newspaper on November 6, 2024.
• Pieter was interviewed by Charlotte MacAulay of the Eastern Graphic about the photo search for WWII soldier Kevin Joseph DELORIE, who was killed in Italy on December 20, 1943, while serving with the 48th Highlanders of Canada. The article, ‘Searching for photo of fallen soldier Kevin Delorie’, ran in the newspaper on October 23, 2024. This search was successful.

… Successful Search For Photos …..

Many WWII soldiers are buried in cemeteries in Europe.  Pieter continues to work with photo wish lists from Canadian War Cemeteries for WWII soldiers buried in The Netherlands.  This year we also received photos and information on soldiers buried in Belgium, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. 

Photos of soldiers buried in Dutch cemeteries were forwarded to researchers there for their digital archive. Whenever possible, stories are featured on the blog but there is a backlog due to the success of Pieter’s research.  I can’t keep up! This year, photos were found for:

Buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands:

1. George Alan BUCHANAN
2. John Woodrow COLBURN
3. Louis ‘Philippe’ COUTLEE
4. Lorenzo Joseph DUBE
5. Claude Pearley HUBLEY
6. Howard Arnold JONES
7. Lloyd Edward KITCHING
8. James ‘Jim’ John George KOSOWAN
9. Wilfred ‘Frank’ LEBLANC
10. Philip Arthur MARZOFF
11. William Hector MATHESON
12. Norman Wesley ROBINSON
13. Arthur SINFIELD
14. Roger SIROIS
15. Joseph Millerand WHITE
16. Lionel VALLEY

Buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands:

1. John Leonard ANDERSON
2. John Frederick BARTLETT
3. Martin Seymour CARROLL
4. Donald Roy CARTER
5. Gene Boyd CLEROUX
6. John Edward COLEMAN
   
7. Leo Joseph DUPUIS
   
8. Harold Francis GOLDSMITH
   
9. Arnold John HICKS
10. Ronald Stuart KERMAN
    
11. Harold LAVIGNE
12. Raymond Joseph LEBLANC
    
13. Ange Aimé LECLAIR
14. Robert Joseph MARKEY
15. Dougal Kennedy MATHESON
16. Roderick William MCQUEEN
17. Wilfred Joseph MELANSON
    
18. Ernest ‘Ermos’ Giuseppe MONACO
19. Aloysius Theophile MORELL
20. Ervin Cline MYERS
21. Sam PROKOPCHUK
22. Henri ROY
    
23. Walter Paul SAMPSON
24. William Owen SELDON
25. Charles Allan TOLSON
26. Doran VENEAU (VIENNEAU)
27. Frank ‘Frankie’ William VICKERS
28. Frederick Leslie VOLLETT
29. Everett Edward YOUNG

 Buried in Bergen Op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands:

1. Lawrence Herbert ANNIS
2. Robert Earl BAKER
3. Norman Leslie BROWN
4. Joseph Wilfred CAMPBELL
5. Edward Dalton CHISHOLM (missed in 2023)
6. Frank William CHRISTOPHER
7. Winton Bruce COOK
8. Omer Zoel DONELLE
   
9. Arthur Francis DOUCETTE
10. James Benjamin ENGLEHART
11. George Raymond FLINT
12. Gilbert FOURNIER
13. Calixte GAUVIN
14. Ernest Cornelius GIBBS
15. Edward Patrick HALEY
16. Albert Leslie HARRIS
17. Reginald Ratchford HARRISON
18. Arthur James HICKMORE
19. John James HIGNEY
20. Verdun HONSBERGER
21. Albert Hayton HUNT
22. Lloyd Warren HUTCHINGS
23. Harold Stanley INGRAHAM
24. William Charles IONSON
25. Albert James LOUNSBURY
26. Lorne Henry KINCADE
27. Gordon Henry Earl KITCHEN
28. Allan James LEFURGEY
29. Alexander Chisholm LOGIE
30. Adam Joseph MACDONALD
31. James MACFARLANE
32. Douglas Earl MACLEAN
33. Victor John MANN
34. John Neill MARSHALL
35. Earl Henry MCALLISTER
36. Raymond George MCGIVNEY
37. Leo John MELANSON
38. George B. MERRICK
39. Clive Austin MILLS
40. Herbert William NORRIS
41. John Charles PIRIE
42. Harold RENTON
43. Joseph Wilfred ‘Arthur’ RIOUX
44. William Ernest STONE
45. Sylvestre THOMAS
46. Leo Joseph Ferdinand TOURVILLE
47. Douglas Laurt VAN BUSKIRK (missed in 2023)
48. Douglas Walker VOLLETT
49. Ronald Sidney WATERHOUSE (missed in 2021)

 Buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium:

• Azade BOUDREAU
• Eugene Frederick MCBRIDE
  

 Buried in Ostend New Communal Cemetery in Belgium:

• Donald David Mackenzie TAYLOR

Buried in Brettville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in France:

• Ernest TOURVILLE

Buried in Dunfermline (Douglas Bank) Cemetery in the United Kingdom:

• Duncan Alexander MACDONALD

Buried in Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy:

• Kevin Joseph DELORIE

Buried in Cesena War Cemetery in Italy:

• Roy REYNOLDS

 Photo Search For Airmen For Air Research Drenthe Foundation in The Netherlands:

One of the projects of the Air Research Drenthe Foundation in The Netherlands is to install information panels near WWII air crash sites. While many of the airmen lost their lives and are buried in The Netherlands or just across the border in Germany, other airmen survived the crash and were in prisoner of war camps until the war ended.  It can be difficult to find photos and families of airmen that survived, but Pieter took up the challenge.  A photo was found for:

• Arthur Alexander Jaffray LOW, of Hamilton, Ontario, bomb aimer on Halifax NP945, which crashed December 6, 1944.

… The Cold Case Files …..

Not all searches have been successful, for one reason or another.  Below is a list of outstanding files for which research has been done, but no photo has been found. If you can help with a photo, please let us know.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/ for the complete list)

1. Douglas Gordon BLACK of Amherst, Nova Scotia, son of Sherman and Alice Black, died March 3, 1945, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
2. Clifford Alexander BLAKE of Toronto, Ontario, son of William C. and Sarah L. Blake, husband of Ferne E. Blake, died February 16, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
3. John BROWN of London, Ontario, son of Mary T. Brown, died April 14, 1945, aged 26, while serving with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. 
4. James Lyman CAMERON, born in Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, son of Edward H. and Susan (Harrington) Cameron, died July 24, 1916, aged 23, while serving with the 7^th Canadian Infantry Battalion (1^st British Columbia). (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
5. Leigh Hunt CAMERON, born in Albany, Prince Edward Island, son of Anna Cameron, died May 5, 1916, aged 17, shortly after enlisting with the 105^th Battalion, C Company. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
6. William Galen CAMPBELL, born in Wellington, Prince Edward Island, son of John G. and Grace Emma Campbell, died April 24, 1953, aged 55, many years after being discharged from the 8th Siege Battery of the 3^rd Brigade Canadian Garrison Artillery. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
7. Karl CHRISTENSEN, from Alberta, but born in Starheim, Nordfjord, Norway, son of Kristian Kristiansen Hafsas and Marie K. Hafsas, died April 10, 1945, aged 41, while serving with the 8^th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers.
8. Bramwell Ernest CHURCHILL, of London, Ontario, son of David and Agnes C. Churchill, husband of Eva Blanche Churchill, died May 1, 1945, aged 40, while serving with the 5th Anti-Tank Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery. 
9. Lorne Mart COLFORD of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, but born in Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, son of Howard and Jeanette Colford, died April 14, 1945, aged 22, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
10. Bazil CORMIER, born in Tignish, Prince Edward Island, son of Joseph Cormier and Mary Arsenault, died August 12, 1918, aged 20, while serving with the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
11. Leslie Alban CROSS, of Newcastle, New Brunswick, son of Archibald and Laura Cross, died April 19, 1945, aged 30, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
12. Eric John CRUE of Moncton, New Brunswick, son of John and Margaret Crue, died April 6, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
13. James Frank DOLMAN of Flatlands, New Brunswick, son of Frank Dolman and Lydia Thompson, husband of Henriette Gertrude Lyons, died April 14, 1945, aged 32, while serving with the New Brunswick Rangers -10th Independent Machine Gun Company.
14. Samuel George ENGEN of The Pas, Manitoba, died April 23, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
15. Douglas Bernard FARROW of Amherst, Nova Scotia, died April 26, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
16. Clifford Glen FORSYTH born in Brandon, Manitoba, son of Alexander ‘Sandy’ Forsyth and Margaret McDougall, died April 11, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
17. Ernest Ramey GALLANT, born in Borden (now Borden-Carleton), Prince Edward Island, son of John P. and Mary Blanche Gallant, died May 20, 1943, aged 27, while with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
18. John Arthur GALLERY of Saint John, New Brunswick, son of William and Grace Gallery, died October 13, 1944, aged 22, while serving with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada. 
19. Robert Cecil HARVEY of Centre Burlington, Nova Scotia, son of Douglas and Myrtle B. Harvey, died April 22, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the British Columbia Regiment – 28th Armoured Regiment. 
20. William James ‘Jimmy’ Sutherland HOLE born in Carman, Manitoba, grandson of William and Eva Alise Hole, son of Daisy Hole, died April 22, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
21. Gordon John HOPPER of London, Ontario, son of Gordon and Vera Mae Hopper, died April 16, 1945, aged 19, while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
22. John Lewis HUGHES, born in Eriksdale, Manitoba, son of Ebenezer George and Ellen (nee Rogan) Hughes, husband of Irene (nee Goodwin) Hughes of Winnipeg, Manitoba, died November 2, 1944, aged 28, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp – 10th Field Dressing Station.
23. Peter HYDICHUK of Theodore, Saskatchewan, son of Alex and Ann Hydichuk, died March 31, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the South Saskatchewan Regiment. 
24. George Mcdonald JOHNSTON of Toronto, Ontario, son of William and Annie Johnston, died April 2, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
25. Wallace Herbert LARLEE of Perth, New Brunswick, died April 24, 1945, aged 19, while serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
26. Albert George LE RUE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of William and Catherine Le Rue, died March 7, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment. 
27. Logan Elwood LESLIE, born in Oxford, Nova Scotia, died April 9, 1945, son of John J. and Georgie Mary Leslie of Moncton, New Brunswick, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. (added in 2023)
28. Charles W. LOWTHER, born in North Carleton, Prince Edward Island, son of Bessie Lowther, died September 25, 1918, aged 21, while serving with the 25^th Battalion, Canadian Infantry. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
29. Harry Donald MACPHERSON, from Vancouver, British Columbia, son of Alex Mann Macpherson and Jane Bell Macpherson, husband of Gwendolyn Eva Macpherson, died April 29, 1945, aged 33, while serving with the Canadian Scottish Regiment.
30. John Redmond MAHONEY, born in Port Elgin, New Brunswick, son of John J. and Gertrude C. Mahoney, died April 12, 1945, aged 30, while serving with the New Brunswick Rangers-10th Independent Machine Gun Company.
31. Wilbert Harold MOORE, born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, son of Jessie Louise and Hugh Irving Moore, died June 16, 1945, aged 28, while serving with the 3rd Division Works Transport Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. 
32. Francis Leslie MULCAHY of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Daniel and Mary Mulcahy, died April 24, 1945, aged 21, while serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
33. Archibald Henry NELSON, born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, son of William Henry and Winnifred Frances Nelson, died April 18, 1945, aged 34, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment.
34. George Austin NORDVALL of Birch River, Manitoba, died February 21, 1945, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. 
35. Arthur Clinton ROBINSON, born in Tryon, Prince Edward Island, son of Albert J. and Flora P. Scruton Robinson, died March 27, 1916, aged 19, while serving with the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
36. Harry ROBINSON, born in Augustine Cove, Prince Edward Island, son of Thomas and Sarah Robinson, husband of Clara J. Robinson, died June 27, 1916, aged 34, while serving with the 105^th Battalion, C Company. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
37. Wilfred ROY, of Robertville, Gloucester County, New Brunswick, son of Camille and Catherine Roy, died October 28, 1945, aged 38, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
38. Charles Patrick SHEFFIELD of Sundridge, Ontario, son of Charles and Mrs Sheffield, husband of Bessie Alice Butler from Botwood, Newfoundland, and father of Patrick William Wallace Sheffield, died May 4, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
39. Charles Bernard STAFFORD of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Charles Bernard and Blanche Stafford, husband of Winifred Leitha Stafford of Intake, Sheffield, England, died April 18, 1945, aged 28, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps – 9th Field Ambulance.
40. Frank Peter VARDIG of St. John, New Brunswick, son of Charles and Lily Vardig, died June 12, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Carleton & York Regiment.
41. Harry WHITE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Wilfred and Mary White, died May 19, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the West Nova Scotia Regiment.

….Case Closed!….

The following files were completed and removed from the Cold Case List:

1. John Frederick BARTLETT of Moreton’s Harbour, Newfoundland, son of Alfred and Jessie Bartlett, died February 27, 1945, aged 47, while serving with the South Alberta Regiment. – Action: Photo identified by great-nephew Gerald Bartlett from a South Alberta Regiment Squadron group photo, taken in England in February 1943, that the family had in its possession. Thank you Gerald!
2. John Edward COLEMAN of Moncton, New Brunswick, son of Edward J. and Florence Coleman, husband of Della Coleman, died June 17, 1945, aged 32, while serving with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. – Action: Newspaper photo found by Etienne Gaudet. Thank you Etienne!
3. Arnold John HICKS of Midgic Station, New Brunswick, son of John A. and Minnie Hicks, died March 8, 1945, aged 21, while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. – Action: A day after this soldier’s name was placed on the Cold Case List, his photo was submitted by Marcia Giller!  Thank you Marcia.
4. Claude Pearley HUBLEY of Chipman, New Brunswick, son of Joshua and Adelia Hubley, husband of Agnes Myrtle Hubley, died April 25, 1945, aged 29, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. – Action: Newspaper photo and obituary from the Saint John Telegraph Journal of May 24, 1945 was submitted by David Archer from Operation Picture Me, saying “…I saw your cold case wish list and I have this clipping that may interest you…” Thank you David.
5. Lloyd Edward KITCHING of Winnipeg, Manitoba, son of Robert Burns Lloyd Kitching, and stepson of Eva L. Kitching, died May 1, 1945, aged 25, while serving with the Royal Canadian Artillery – 6^th Field Regiment. – Action: Newspaper photo found.

…Thank you for your support and encouragement of this research project!…

As 2024 comes to an end, we would like to thank all who helped with researching these stories and contributed photos. We also thank readers of this blog, and the On The War Memorial Trail column in the County Line Courier newspaper, who suggested some of the stories you’ve read.  A big thank you goes to Mike and Isabel Smith, owners of the County Line Courier. 

Thank you to all the families that contributed photos and stories. Thank you to Judie Klassen and Shawn Rainville who volunteered their time to help find families of soldiers through newspaper and online searches. Thank you to Etienne Gaudet for helping to find photos of New Brunswick soldiers on our behalf, and for translating letters from French into English. 

Thank you to the media who helped publicize the search for photos and information – Eastern Graphic, and the Winnipeg Free Press.

Last, but not least, the YouTube channel and videos would not be possible without the invaluable support of post-production editor Wendy Nattress.  Wendy also designed and manages the book website: https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

….Happy Holidays…

Pieter and I wish you all the best for the holidays and in 2025. May we never forget those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Pieter’s research work continues. If you have photos or information to share, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.  

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats.  Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

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